Secret Past
by emjac
Summary: Horatio's new love has been holding something back.
1. Chapter 1

The late afternoon sun spilled across the kitchen floor as he watched her from the doorway. He admired her beauty as she navigated through his kitchen like she had been in his life for years as opposed to months. They had met at work and she captured his heart on that first day. It was her strength and confidence that he noticed first. Well, first after her stunning looks. Seeing as they were both adults who had lived full lives, they wasted no time delving into a relationship and moving it along. There was a self-assuredness that they shared so it felt like they were on equal footing. This was a change for him as he had always been drawn towards wounded souls. It was new for her, as well, as the few men she had been involved with eventually felt threatened by her lack of neediness. But together, they were peaceful and content.

Considering all of this as he watched her prepare dinner for the two of them, his nerves started to overwhelm him. The tension radiating from her was palpable. Surely their idyllic situation could not be as perfect as it seemed. No one is perfect. Not him, he knew, and probably not her either. They were likely at the point in the relationship where someone's flaws were about to be shown. He did not want this to end. He was tired of relationships ending. He wanted the peace to continue.

Her words broke his thoughts, "How long are you going to stare at me for?" She stole a peek at him, threw a sly smile his way, then turned back to the sauteeing chicken.

Lowering his eyes and taking a step closer he said, "I guess long enough to get up the nerve to ask you what's wrong."

She thought for a moment about how to best formulate her answer. He was a celebrated police lieutenant after all. But then she was an equally successful detective and she could deflect with the best of them. "I'm good," she finally chose as her reply.

Nodding slowly, he continued forward until he was standing right next to her. If invasion of her space bothered her, she didn't let on. "Not exactly an answer to my question, now is it?"

"Yeah," she said lowering the heat on the stove. "But that's all you're going to get." She turned to move towards the refrigerator when his hand reached for her wrist. Stilling, she flipped her gaze on his hand, holding her wrist. She loved him. And she trusted him. But she wasn't ready to let him in.

Though they were alone in the room, in the whole vast house actually, he whispered, "You don't have to keep things from me."

Moving her eyes up to meet his she said, "I know. But I'm not ready. I worked with him years ago. I don't like him. He'll be gone in a week. That's all you need to know."

She thought he would let go of her then, but he wasn't done. "You don't always have to do everything on your own. You can lean on me."

She didn't think it was possible to love him any more than she did a moment before, but standing in the shadow of the setting sun, this close to him, with his hand on her, looking so deeply into his eyes that it felt like she could fall into them, with him practically begging her to share her soul with him, she loved him so much more. "I know," was all she could say.

He let his hand fall from her wrist and his fingers entwined with hers. She couldn't say whether he pulled slightly or she fell slightly. It was probably both, but she felt herself leaning on him and exhaled all of the worry out of her frame. His other hand found its way to the back of her head and she allowed herself to be held.

"I'm not hungry," she said.

"Neither am I." He let her go long enough to turn off the stove and then lead her to his bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

The movement beside him pulled him from a deep slumber. He knew she was dreaming again, even without opening his eyes. This was good because work had been relentless lately and his eyes did not want to open. These dreams had recently become an at least twice weekly event, so his body didn't need to react.

He felt her sit up and swing her legs off the side of the bed, but knew she had not yet fully awakened. His hand reached out and grabbed at her, catching a handful of t-shirt. The action kept her tethered. She had bolted from bed on previous nights and he worried she would hurt herself. Her quick breaths started to slow. Eyes still unwilling to open, he loosened his grip on the makeshift pajamas and settled his fingers, all he could reach, into a circular pattern over her hip. The touch would help ease her senses into reality, and the shushing noises he started making would help. It usually took a full five minutes for her to rouse completely and this night was no different. He waited until one deep, slow breath signaled the end.

"Come here," he said, his voice thick with sleep. She leaned back on the pillows and he wasted no time in gathering her up and pulling her close. "Sleep."

When her relaxed muscles convinced him that she was, he succumbed as well.

She slept deeply in his arms throughout the rest of the night. His strength took over when hers was gone and it thwarted any further nightmares. She woke early and hungry and slipped from the covers without disturbing him.

The kitchen was spotless when he found her there an hour later. She was dressed for the day and any trace of vulnerability was gone. "I made you a bagel," she said. "I thought you might be hungry."

"I am," he said, "thank you." He sat at the counter across from where she was standing sipping her coffee.

"What do you have going on today?" he asked.

"Court's at nine. I have to testify in the Flynn case. Then I'll head back to the station. I'm having dinner with my sister tonight. Anything going on at the lab today?"

"Going to try to wrap up the murder on South Beach. I think we're close."

"Good. Then Reynolds can leave." She didn't look at him while she mentioned his name. Turning, she placed her cup in the sink then went to kiss him on the cheek. He pulled her into his arms.

"Come home to me after you sister's."

"Maybe. You're still not put off by the dreams?" She said it over his shoulder while he held her. She expected there would be pity in his eyes and she didn't want to see it.

"Still not," he said into her neck then pulled away and looked at her. She was relieved to find only desire reflected back at her.

"Ok," she said, turning to gather her things for the day, "After I help her get the kids to bed. I'll be here." She tossed him a smile over and walked towards the door.

Mmmmmmmm

Jenna paced the hallways of the courthouse waiting to be called in to testify. It was a domestic case from a few years back that she had worked. She was testifying today on behalf of Social Services who were hoping the children involved would be able to live with their maternal grandmother in Tallahassee. Their father was in the middle of a three year sentence for assault and their mother recently failed yet another stint in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction. Jenna felt for the children.

Her own childhood had not been violent, but was less than idyllic. Her mother passed away when she was a young teenager. Her father tried his best to raise her and her sister, but it was difficult on all of them. He died a couple of years ago. Luckily, Jenna retained close contact with her sister and frequently helped care for her two nieces.

Jenna was reviewing her testimony in her head when she saw him enter the hallway. She tried to turn before he saw her, but failed. He had seen her and wasted no time in approaching. Jenna was beautiful, but a flustered Jenna had always intrigued him.

"Well, well, well," he said. "I was wondering when we would find time alone." Thus far she had managed to avoid such an encounter. "But don't worry. I had no intention of leaving Miami without seeing you." His hand darted out towards her, but she pulled back before contact was made. Her repulsion of him was obvious, and he relished it.

"What are you doing here, Mark?" she asked.

"I'm working on a murder case with Lt. Caine. I'm pretty sure you knew that." He was much taller than she and leaned in way too close.

Jenna forced herself to remain rooted, even though every ounce of her wanted to step back. He disgusted her. "I mean, what are you doing here? In the courthouse?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Jenna. It's not a good look on you. I didn't know you were here. Just getting an order signed."

"Why don't you go on your way then," she said.

"You don't have to be so rude," he said. "You know, your secrets are all safe with me. I won't tell your lover about our past."

The relationship she had cultivated with Horatio was not a secret amongst their peers, though they didn't flaunt it. Not working in the same department made it easier on both their personal and professional lives, and no human resources regulations had been broken. Still, it annoyed Jenna to no end when people talked about it. Like in any other realm of society, gossip travels. She hated that word had gotten to Mark, but she wasn't surprised. It was bound to happen if he stayed in Miami long enough.

Leaning slightly toward him, she said, "We do not have a 'past.' You are here to do a job and nothing else. Do it and leave."

Thankfully, her name was called at that moment so she turned and proceeded down the hall without a second glance. Knowing he was watching her every move sent a shiver down her spine.

 **AN: Only Jenna and Mark are my own characters. Thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming.**


	3. Chapter 3

Mark entered the Miami-Dade Police Headquarters in the middle of the day and smiled at seeing Lt. Caine at the front desk. Horatio spoke with the woman behind the counter and shuffled through some papers she handed him. He lagged behind for a bit, blending in with the bustling surroundings, and waited until his target moved along. Reynolds followed him until they were further down the hall and called for his attention when they were out of anyone's earshot.

"So," he said, and Horatio turned, "I heard through the Miami rumor mill that you're seeing our Jenna on the side."

Every feather Horatio had ruffled at the veiled implication that Jenna somehow belonged to Reynolds. Was this what she had been keeping from him?

"I'm sorry," he said, taking a step closer to the man, "'our Jenna?'"

"Oh, no, I'm sorry. I assumed she would have told you about our past. I understood from your people that the two of you have become quite close. Although I must say, I'm a bit surprised. Jenna never really took well to men in authority positions. No, she prefers her tough girl persona to dominate."

If he hadn't been in the middle of police headquarters, he would have decked Reynolds without hesitation. Stepping even closer, so that his words could only be heard by his now-enemy he said, "This conversation is over. And if I ever hear you make mention of Detective Quinn again you will eat your words." Without giving Reynolds a chance to reply, he turned but felt the intense stare of the snaring man behind him as he exited the building.

MMMMMMM

The low lying sun streamed through the numerous windows of the headquarters building as Jenna entered it. Court took longer than she had anticipated, but the outcome was favorable. So much time at the courthouse meant that only a quick appearance was needed at the station, and she was now off the clock for the night. She hoped to catch Horatio, to receive an update on his case,before traveling to her sister's house. Jenna smiled when she saw him sitting at his desk in his office. She entered and he rose to his feet. His serious expression washed the smile off of her face.

Rounding the desk to face her, he wasted no time in making his point. "Did you have a personal relationship with Mark Reynolds?"

Flustered by his directness as well as the nature of the question, she worked at retaining her composure and said, "Am I being interrogated, Lieutenant?"

"No," he said, softening his tone. "But seeing as I'm working with the man, I'd like to not have to learn about you through him."

She stepped closer to him, "He said I was in a relationship with him?"

He made a mental note of her lack of a direct answer to his direct question. "He insinuated it. Were you?"

"What exactly did he say?" Jenna didn't play games with anyone. There was never chance of her answering these questions outright. She would fill in Horatio, and anyone else for that matter, on the details of her life when she wanted them revealed.

"Am I being interrogated, Detective?"

"Alright," she said, backing away, "this is getting us nowhere." She turned towards the door. "I'm leaving."

He managed to get between her and the door. She stopped short and glared up into his eyes. Horatio saw what was happening and knew he had to stop it. They both had personal histories, and those details had only ever been discussed in broad terms. Who was he to question her? The anger he felt towards Reynolds was being directed at Jenna and that was not fair. "Alright, stop," he said. I'm sorry. It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have let him get to me like this."

"No, you shouldn't have," she said without looking at him.

"Please," he said. He wanted to reach out to her physically, but was aware of his surroundings. "Still come over tonight."

She looked up and offered a slight smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah. I'll be there." She walked around him and exited, her shoulders more hunched then when she arrived.

MMMMMMMMMM

Sometimes all you need is macaroni and cheese with hot dogs to make you feel better. This was both Jenna and her sister Abigail's favorite comfort food. Knowing this, Abigail usually served it to her kids whenever their aunt was coming over for dinner. Of course it helped that it was cheap and easy to make. The bottle of chardonnay Jenna brought complimented it perfectly. Jenna lost herself in playing with her nieces and getting them ready for bed, forgetting all of her troubles. By nine, the girls were tucked in, the bottle was almost empty, and the sisters sat in the living room with their last glass.

"I think it's time," Abigail said. She was the only person in the world who knew every detail for Jenna's life. They were best friends and relied on each other.

"Time?" Jenna asked. She picked up the empty bottle and turned it over her half full glass, shaking out every last drop. "Time for what?"

"Time to tell Horatio," Abigail said.

Jenna stopped mid shake and looked up at her sister. Annoyed that there was no wine left for this conversation, she set the bottle on the table and took a long pull on the alcohol left in her glass before responding to Abigail. "Really? I don't think so."

"Come on, Jenna. Things are going well with him, right?" After Jenna's nod she continued. "He seems like the real deal."

"Real deal?" Jenna asked. "Is that even a thing?"

"Yes! It has to be. You have to get this right. One of us has to get this right. Why not you? Why not with Horatio? You love him, right?"

"Yes, I love him," she leaned back on the couch. "He's just too good. I can't show him anything bad."

Abigail moved closer to her sister, who supported her through her difficult marriage, and even more difficult divorce, and reached for her hand. "Jenna, there is nothing bad about you. There never has been. And I'm sure Horatio is not as perfect as you like to think he is. Do not push him away. Fight for this one. Go to him and tell him everything."

"Yeah," Jenna squeezed Abigail's hand and stood, "maybe I will. Maybe I'll go do that."

Abigail jumped up, "Wait, now? Are you alright to drive? You usually only have two glasses of wine. You've had about three, plus a couple of drops."

Jenna grabbed her purse. "Yes, I'm fine. And I think you're right. And I have to get home to Horatio now before I lose my nerve." She hugged her sister and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Abby. Thank you for everything."

"I love you, Jenna. Please text me when you get there. I'm going to worry."

"I will," she said, as she hurried down the driveway, feeling lighter than she had in weeks.

 **Thanks for reading. Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: The beginning scene here was icky to write and not my forte. I wrote around it, then finally closed my eyes and dove in. I hope it turned out ok. Probably not too much ickiness ahead. It's not my thing.**

The night air was thick with humidity but Jenna kept her windows down to feel the breeze on her face. A heaviness she had carried for weeks lifted as she made her way through the back Miami street to Horatio's house. Traffic on the interstate would be busy at this time, and she wanted to get to his arms. Abigail was right. Telling him everything could only help her, and their relationship.

Had she chosen to be honest with herself at that point, she would have admitted that the windows were open to keep her alert. Two drinks was her limit and, while she was confident that her ability to drive was not impeded, she was cautious. Despite all her eagerness to get to Horatio's, she was also cognizant of her speed, not daring to drive more than five miles above the limit.

The blue and white lights should not have been filling the cabin of her sedan. Instinct kicked in and she removed her foot from the gas pedal before her eyes moved to the speedometer. There was no way she had been speeding, she thought as the needle descended and she pulled to the curb.

Jenna fished through her pocketbook to retrieve her badge as she felt the heat rising in her face.

"Hands on the wheel," came the gruff voice before she had completed her mission.

"Officer, I'm just trying to find my -"

"Hands on the wheel!" The unmistakable click from a service weapon followed the command.

Her hands found the wheel and she turned to face the barrel of the gun, only partially covering Mark Reynold's face.

"Mark! It's me, Jenna," Even as she said this, she knew he knew who she was before he pulled her over. This was too unlikely to be coincidence. Besides, an out of town detective would never involve himself in a routine traffic stop.

"Have you been drinking tonight, Detective Quinn?"

"No!" she said without thinking. "Put the gun down!"

Reynolds took a slight step back, "Step out of the car, please," he said.

Jenna was visibly shaking. Mark was a snake, but this was over the top. She tried to control herself as she stepped out of the car.

"Step to the back of the vehicle and put your hands on the trunk," he said, keeping the gun trained on her.

Jenna detective mind worked in overdrive trying to determine an escape from this situation, but finding none, she did exactly as she was told, as cautiously as possible. She cursed herself for taking such a lonely road instead of the busy highway. Anyone traveling would assume she a criminal and think nothing of the scene. Tears stung her eyes and time stood still. Mark approached her and his heaviness weighed on her as the gun trailed slowly down her back in a zig-zagging form. She held her breath but the tremors increased. He used his free hand to grab her hair, jerk her to an upright position and yank her around to face him. He kissed her hard, invading her mouth as the gun stroked her between her legs. When he had his full, he detached his mouth from hers and whispered, "I didn't want you to forget your place," before disappearing.

MMMMMMMMMM

The key entered the lock without making a sound, but it wasn't the key she was worried about. The beep of the alarm once the door opened caused the adrenaline to flow. She hoped she had driven around long enough for him to have fallen asleep, and for her nerves to settle. Spending the night at her own house tempted her, but the thought of being alone right now was worrisome. Her fingers relied on muscle memory to enter the code with precision, and then she stood still for a moment listening for the sound of movement. Upon hearing none, she let out a breath. She was so tired. Across the room, Horatio's whiskey decanter entered her line of sight. Turning a backwards glance to the top of the stairs, she scurried across the living room and poured herself a shot.

The second went down more easily than the first. She poured a third and considered it, when his even voice interrupted her, "That's enough."

She turned to look at him standing in the doorway wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, but the glass remained in her hand. So many emotions overwhelmed her. The one she decided to go with was the easiest one - anger. She threw her head back and emptied the liquor down her throat before finding his eyes again.

Horatio spoke first, "Your sister's worried."

"Shit," she said while fumbling for her phone in her purse she had discarded on the coffee table. A quick text was sent to appease Abigail. Her phone returned to the table and the glass returned to her hand.

"This," she said, gesturing between the two of them, "isn't working for me right now, so I'm going to go." She placed her glass on the coffee table, ignored the fuzziness in her vision, and moved towards the door.

He stepped in front of her before she had gotten too far. "You are not leaving. I don't know what condition you were in when you walked through that door, but you're in no condition to drive right now."

Refusing to look at him, she raised her hand up, in spite of herself, and placed it on his arm for balance. "Yeah," she said, "Ok." She pivoted around him to head towards the kitchen, kicking off her shoes on the way. "What are you going to do arrest me? It's not like it would be the first time someone's tried to do that tonight." She hadn't wanted him to hear that last comment, or maybe she did.

Horatio followed her into the kitchen and watched her fill a glass with water. He chose his approach carefully, "Who tried to arrest you tonight?"

"What?" she asked, taking gulps of water that didn't quite seem to quench her thirst.

"Who tried to arrest you tonight?" he retained his signature calmness but wanted nothing more than to shake the information out of her.

Jenna took her time refilling her glass and downing half of it before answering, "I was just kidding."

"No," he said, no longer able to keep the anger out of his voice, "you weren't kidding. Did you get pulled over tonight?"

"It was a misunderstanding. Nothing for you to worry about."

"So you were driving under the influence," he said. He knew her to be a light drinker, so any more alcohol than her usual two could have affected her driving. "How much did you have at your sisters?'

"You know," she said and slammed her glass down on the counter a bit harder than she had planned, "I left my sister's deciding to come here and tell you everything." Her eyes filled with tears which only succeeded in making her angrier. She did not want to cry now. She had to remember not to drink anymore.

"Sweetheart," he said, as he realized how fragile she was, "sit down."

She wanted to remain standing and she wanted to tell him not to call her 'sweetheart,' but with little control over herself, she acquiesced.

"Now, talk to me," he said.

"You're taking advantage of me because my defenses are down," she said.

He was, but nothing else he tried had worked, and maybe this would. "No, sweetheart, your defenses are never down. I learned that a while ago."

She looked up at him and gave a slight smile before an attempt at regaining control over the conversation. "I'm not your damsel in distress who needs to be saved, Horatio. I'm a police detective. I save people!"

"You do. But you don't do it alone. We can't perform our jobs alone, so why do you think you can get through life alone? If you need help, ask for it. I'm here. And I've never thought of, or treated you as a damsel in distress."

"No, you haven't, because I haven't let you. But I'm done talking for now. I'm taking a shower and going to bed." Only a limited amount of time availed itself as she was certain she would topple over any minute, and her body screamed for hot, soapy water to wash over it. The encounter with Mark left her feeling so many things, but dirty was the one she fix. She rose from her seat at the counter and used the surface to steady herself.

Horatio reached for her. Instinct told him to lift her up in his arms and carry her to bed, but even with her guard lowered, he suspected the act would be viewed as too patriarchal. "Maybe you should just go to bed," he said.

"No," she said, with much less strength than she hoped. Power had been taken away from her tonight. Power she had sworn she would never again relinquish. Her hand found Horatio's and together they walked up the stairs.

 **AN: Thanks for reading. Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

The hard steel barrel of the revolver crawled up her back and down again. Jenna held her breath and froze and tried to pretend this wasn't happening to her. Unlike the last time, the gun stopped and lingered on certain spots along the way. Pausing, as if to leave a mark on her flesh. As if she could ever forget this encounter. Like a kiss it moved down her back. Like Horatio's kisses. Horatio. This was Horatio kissing her through the flimsy cotton of her nightshirt. A shiver started at her toes and rippled through her body. And she woke. She sent a silent thanks to her higher power for giving her body the control to remain rooted and not run from his arms.

But he felt the tremble and pulled back. He had caught her in a dream and could feel her heart pounding. He brought himself to task for the thought that his sexual prowess had caused her increased heart rate and, when she seemed settled, placed his hand on her back again.

Jenna hated that his sensual touch was replaced with a comforting one. Rejecting him was never her intent. She loved him and he always managed to turn her on. She willed her body to relax and leaned back into him. After mere moments, both their bodies responded.

The next time she woke, the light filling the room seeped into her consciousness and swept over her heavy eyes which refused to open. She parted her parched lips and sucked in air. Her head felt like a bowling ball and she didn't dare to move it. The muffled sounds of Horatio moving around the room indicated that the time for her to get up and prepare for the day had long passed.

He moved towards her and placed his hand on her forehead. She greeted him with a soft moan but dared not open her eyes. "I called you in sick to work," he said as his hand moved down to her cheek before he removed it and continued to ready himself. "There's water and Advil on the night table."

She hated that he had not only made the decision that she needed to stay home from work, but also took it upon himself to make the call. His actions signified that she couldn't make this decision or perform the required action by herself. She didn't need him to be her boss, or her father, or her caretaker. She wanted him to be her equal partner, having no control over her. Of course, the hangover she possessed prevented her from voicing any of this to him, as much as it would have prevented her from completing the necessary phone call. With as much strength as she could muster she said, "Thanks."

"I'll call you later to see how your feeling," he said as he made his way to the master bedroom door, knowing full well that his behavior had likely annoyed her. "And we will be talking later."

Again his bossiness annoyed her, "I love you," she managed to say.

He turned back and with two long strides, returned to her bedside. He knelt down and, putting his hand once again on her cheek he said, "Sweetheart, open your eyes, please."

She managed to obey his command. "I love you, too," he said and kissed her hard on the lips.

Despite all the pain and heaviness she felt, he succeeded in bringing so much pleasure to her body and her heart.

When he reached the door for the second time and threw a, "and be good," over his shoulder, she picked up the pillow next to her and made a concerted, yet pathetic effort to hurl it at him.

MMMMMMMMMM

Jenna slept through the rest of the morning and felt more like herself when she woke. Numerous messages flashed on her phone from Horatio, her sister, and Jack Wilkes, her current partner. She drank coffee and spent time reassuring Horatio and Abby that she was fine, although neither of them were likely fooled, and informed Jack that she would pick him up at the station in hour to follow up on a lead he snagged in a robbery case they had been working for a while.

"So what's been going on with you lately?" Jack asked as Jenna pulled away from the curb in front of the station.

"Nothing," Jenna said, "why?"

"Well, I didn't see or hear from you yesterday - "

"I was in court testifying."

"And you were a no-show this morning."

"I was sick," she said feeling the heat of anger rise in her body, "I'm better now, but I can go home again if you'd like."

Jack chuckled. "Relax, Jenna. But face it. You haven't been yourself for a couple of weeks now. Loverboy knocking you off your game?"

"What?" Jenna's head spun towards him as she gripped the steering wheel with both hands and added more pressure to the gas at the audacity of this newbie questioning her.

"Everyone's talking about it," Jack said, not even trying to hide his smirk.

"Really. And what is 'everyone' saying?"

"Nothing bad, Jen. It's just exciting when the city's most eligible bachelor starts settling down with the hot new detective in town."

"Oh my God!" she said as she swerved the car curbside in front of the house they were seeking. "There are so many things wrong with that sentence that I don't know where to begin." She exited the car and slammed the door.

Jack laughed as he followed her down the front walk of the house. They partnered up as soon as Jenna arrived in Miami from Tallahassee about nine months prior. While he had more experience in the bustling city, she was the more senior detective having ten years in age and experience on him. They adjusted to each other's styles and personalities in no time and made a successful team. Her strong attitude did not threaten him. In fact, it served them both well on the job. She could hold her own and have his back. He loved working with Jenna, and teasing her.

Lost in his thoughts, Jack didn't notice his partner's change in demeanor right away. As he started to take a step up onto the front porch he perceived her slowed movements and her hand working to release her gun from its holster. Not hesitating in the least, Wilkes put all of his senses on high alert and unhinged his own weapon. Jenna motioned for him to move towards the back of the house.

The yard of the run down bungalow was in as much disarray as the house. Overgrown grass and bushes and broken cobblestones made Detective Wilkes' steps slow and deliberate as he crept towards the back. Upon reaching the door he heard Jenna identify herself and shout out for someone to "stop right there." Jack wasted no time in entering through the unlocked kitchen door and rushed to find his partner.

Gun drawn and ready, Wilkes rounded the corner of the home's living room in time to see the suspect back fist his partner across the room, knocking her gun out of her hand. Jack tackled the oversized man from behind before he managed to leave the room and called out, "Jenna! Are you ok?" So intent he was on getting the assailant under control, Jack did not see Jenna until she had approached and delivered a kick to the stomach of the thief on the floor, knocking Jack off his balance. He scrambled to regain himself and watched Jenna's skill at landing two punches to the man's face. "Jenna!" he reached for her swinging arm and pulled hard. She landed on the floor again but he paid her no mind as he completed the task of cuffing the criminal.

Jenna ignored the rising bile in her throat and staggered to her partner. As he struggled to get their prisoner on his feet she said, "Never do that again."

She walked out of the bungalow into the blazing hot mid-afternoon sun. Her world spun and the ground rose up to meet her.

 **AN: I hope you are enjoying reading this story as much as I am enjoying writing it. Please leave a review. I only own Jenna, Abby, Jack, and that terrible Mark. Thank you!**


	6. Chapter 6

Jenna sat in the back of the ambulance holding one ice pack to her eye and one on her knuckles while the paramedics milled around the vicinity. They had already determined that she likely had a concussion, seemed dehydrated, and should take a trip to the emergency room. So far, she refused. With any luck, they hoped, she would get her wits about her and come to her senses.

Lifting her head to survey the scene, Jenna noticed her boyfriend and her partner engaged in a serious conversation. She knew Horatio would arrive as soon as he heard about the incident, and watched the body language of the two men to decipher their words. Of course, both being good at their chosen profession, they portrayed nothing. She need not worry. Jack would answer questions asked in a truthful manner and Horatio would not ask questions he did not want to know the answer to. He may not be her boss, but he did outrank her and any information he learned in regards to behavior unbecoming of an officer of the law would put him in a precarious position. All parties performed this dance well.

Her stomach fluttered as Horatio turned and walked towards her. Whether from the crack to her head, the fear of not knowing how he would respond, or the elation that this well-dressed, handsome, stoic man was making a beeline for her, she had no idea. Perhaps a combination of all three were causing the reaction.

Her eyes averted his as he approached and stood before her. He took in the sight of her and said, "Let me see."

She removed the ice from her eye and tilted her head. Gentle fingers rose and moved a lock of auburn hair away from her face. He inspected the bruise which was beginning to form and spread over the right side of her face, but said nothing.

Wanting this examine to end, Jenna said, "It is fine," pulled away and replaced the ice.

"Mmm, hmmm," he said, observing her closely, "I thought you were staying home today, Detective Quinn." His voice was soft and held no anger, so Jenna relaxed a bit.

"Yeah, well," was all Jenna offered in response.

Seeing someone who might be willing to back him up, the lead paramedic approached the couple at the back of his truck. "Ready to take a ride, Detective Quinn?" he asked, leaving no doubt as to what he thought was the appropriate course of action.

"Thank you," Jenna smiled up at him and handed him back the ice packs, "but that won't be necessary." She jumped off the back, and then needed a moment to steady herself with the help of Horatio's arm. He took the opportunity and placed his arm around her waist.

"Lieutenant," the paramedic, certain that he would get nowhere with Jenna, turned to Horatio. "She should go to the hospital and get checked out fully. She most definitely has a concussion and also seems dehydrated. IV fluids would help."

"Please don't talk about me as if I'm not standing right here!" The anger made her head throb.

"Jenna," Horatio said in a calm manner which succeeded in calming her as well, "he's trying to help." Turning to the medic he said, "Thank you, sir. I will take her home and keep an eye on her. We'll be in to the ER if things worsen."

"Suit yourselves," he said and slammed the doors as they walked away.

MMMMMMMMMM

After changing into yoga pants and t-shirt, Jenna curled up on the couch with a blanket covering her legs. The Miami heat would have turned most away from snuggling with a blanket, and Horatio kept his thermostat at a comfortable temperature, but Jenna used it for comfort. Her youngest niece had a few sensory issues which caused her to struggle both at school and at home. Abby, who deserved the Mother of the Year award, had researched extensively when the problems first arose and found that a weighted blanket would soothe and calm her daughter. Jenna's current blanket contained no weights, but brought her the same effectives. She pulled it tighter around herself as Horatio brought her a cup of tea.

"You should still have ice on that eye, and the hand," he said as handed her the cup. "And don't tell me that you can take care of yourself. You're hurt and I'm taking care of you."

She found him equally endearing and annoying, but took the cup and said, "Thank you."

After a few moments of him watching her not look at him, he said, "You're ignoring me."

Jenna blew on her tea and took a sip before answering, "Yeah, well, I'm not punching you, so that's something."

His lips formed a smile at her feistiness. She seemed no worse for the wear after her scuffle. He removed the blanket, lifted her legs, and sat on the couch beneath them before she could even register what was happening. "Hey!" she said, placing her cup on the table next to her so it wouldn't spill. "I'm not exactly in any shape to fend you off."

He leaned over her and kissed her lips. Pulling back, he said, "So stop trying." He kissed her some more, but when his hand started to move down her arm, she twitched. He leaned back and looked with concern at a new bruise which was forming there.

"How did this happen?" he asked, running his fingers over it.

Jenna pulled her arm away and covered the bruise with her hand. "I don't remember," she said. "I must have banged it when I fell."

Horatio had been in this business long enough to recognize a hand print when he saw one. He had also read both Jenna and Jack's statements, and neither one mentioned that the suspect had grabbed her. "Jack pulled you off of him," he said.

Jenna swung her legs to the ground and attempted to stand, but her annoying lack of strength made her too slow, and Horatio's hands stopped her. "You need to stay here. You have a concussion."

"Please," she said, as she managed to rise. "I've had concussions before. I'm fine. I am the victim of an overzealous EMT. That's all."

Horatio stood as well and watched as she collected her things and moved to the kitchen. She swallowed one more gulp of the tea and tossed the rest down the drain. "You're keeping so many things from me." His voice was low but his feelings were conveyed nonetheless.

She turned from her spot at the sink to look at him standing in the doorway, and was unsuccessful in keeping her voice down as well. "I have to. Remember? You outrank me."

'I love you."

His sincerity made her swoon for a moment but she held her ground, "I love you, too, but it doesn't matter." She pushed at the tears that were threatening to make an appearance.

"If you don't trust me, this doesn't work." He started to walk toward her but the beeping of his phone halted him. With his eyes intently focused on her, he answered, "Caine," and listened. "I'll be there in ten minutes." He hung up the phone and watched as she stood still in front of him and allowed her tears to fall. "Stay here," he said, "Do you understand me? Stay right here." She nodded and he left.

 **AN: Thank you for the reviews. They got me back a it!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Here is my overdue next chapter. I'm enjoying writing this and seeing where these characters take me. Thank you for reading, and please send a review.**

Over the next couple of days, Jenna and Horatio found themselves missing each other more often than not. His work at catching the South Beach killer required so much of his attention that the issues with Jenna filtered to the back of his mind.

Jenna took some time from work to allow her injuries to heal. Most of that time was spent at her sister's, helping with the children, but she returned to Horatio's every night. She fell asleep long before he arrived home waking only slightly as he slipped into bed beside her, always scooping her into his arms before surrendering to sleep. She then listened to him getting ready to leave in the morning and matched the kiss he gave her without opening her eyes. Tension filled the air nonetheless and the long overdue conversation was not anticipated by either party

By the third day, Jenna headed back to work. She was a bit light on her feet as she made her way to her desk. The time spent with family rejuvenated her and the familiarity of the hustle in the precinct was a comfort.

The exotic tropical bouquet sitting upon her desk demanded her attention. A smile formed on her face in spite of herself and her cheeks warmed. She caught sight of Jack sitting at his desk adjacent to hers, and knew that there would be no escaping his teasing.

"Here she is!" His voice was loud enough to cause a few heads to rise nearby and her crimson coloring to brighten.

"Shhh. . .," she said with no actual hopes of him quieting and reached for the card.

"Looks like your casanova sent you an appreciation gift. What exactly does he appreciate about our lovely Detective Quinn on this fine morning?"

"I dare you to say that to his face," she said as she took her seat.

He laughed and continued his good natured razzing as she pulled the card from the envelope. The bagel she had eaten for breakfast lurched to the bottom of her stomach and the coffee that wasn't quite finished threatened to come back up at the realization that these were not from Horatio. Her brain recorded the one word written on the card. "Remember." And she did. Everything she had spent so much time forgetting came rushing back to her.

Jack's voice became an incomprehensible mumble as she rose from her seat and walked back towards the door with leaden feet, the card now crumbled in her fist.

MMMMMMMMMM

Detective Wilkes remained at his desk filling out reports for the rest of the morning. He was a bit miffed that his partner had abandoned him to go and thank her boyfriend for the flowers, but he dealt with it by completing his work and throwing a little extra onto her desk. He had to cover for her a couple of times and did so by saying that she had run to the courthouse to obtain missing signature of paperwork. This task did need to be accomplished, so he added those items to her pile as well. Shortly before noon he looked up to see Lieutenant Caine walking towards him.

"Lieutenant," he said with a nod to the man.

"Wilkes, I'm looking for Detective Quinn. She hasn't been answering her phone."

Jack rose to his feet. "She left her a couple of hours ago. I thought she was going to see you."

"Did she say she was coming to see me?" he asked. He reached for his phone and punched in her number again.

"Well, no . . ."

"Have you been in touch with her since she left?"

"No, sir."

"She's your partner. You don't know where she is?" He tried to remain calm. None of this was Jack's fault.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I thought she was with you. She opened the card from the flowers you sent and left."

"Flowers? I didn't send any flowers." They both looked at each other for a beat then turned towards the arrangement sitting on Jenna's desk. "When did these arrive?" he asked.

"They were here when I got in this morning. She took the card with her." Jack picked up his phone to call the front desk and ask if anyone knew when or by whom the flowers were sent.

Horatio looked for a card nonetheless, as well as any tag or indication as to where they were from. "Did she seem upset?" he asked.

Now on hold, Jack said, "She got up quickly and left. I was teasing her so I thought that annoyed her." Horatio raised an eyebrow which effected in making Jack feel guilty, but he did not comment.

At that moment Horatio's phone rang. His hopes rose, then fell when he saw that this call was not coming from Jenna's phone. The last thing he wanted right now was a distraction which would deter him from his task at hand, but he learned long ago that ignoring calls only caused more problems, sometimes life threatening ones, so he answered, "This is Lt. Caine."

"Horatio? It's Abby," the voice was louder than normal and rushed.

Horatio's senses heightened, he said, "Abby? Abby, what's wrong?"

"It's Jenna. Something's wrong. And I'm sure she wouldn't want me to talk to you, but I think she's in danger and I don't know what to do."

"Ok, Abby, slow down. When did you talk to Jenna?" he asked as he walked towards the exit, Jack close behind having learned nothing about the delivery.

"I just got off the phone with her. She was crying and said she was sorry, then hung up."

Horatio turned towards Jack. "Trace her phone." Speaking again to Abby he said, "Did she say where she was?"

"No. But I think she's leaving. She does that when things get to be too much for her.: She paused giving herself one more beat to consider what she was about to do. "It's that Reynolds guy, Horatio." Divulging her sister's secret was not what Abby wanted, but Jenna left her with no options. She couldn't lose another family member.

"Reynolds? What does he have to do with anything?" He should have known there was more to the story then the two of them not getting along. He did know. He should have pushed her harder to tell him everything.

"He's hurt her before and he's trying to hurt her again."

Their call ended with both of them promising to keep the other posted with any new information. Horatio got into his car and drove. Jack followed in his own car and radioed Horatio that the tech department had picked up Jenna's cell phone at his house. They sped that way.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Sorry for the long delay. I think I wrote the last chapter too quickly. When I started to write this one, my characters were not physically where I wanted them to be. I did some maneuvering and think I got it right. This would be the problem with posting a draft! Maybe one day I will have the control not to post a story until the whole thing is written. But probably not! Read, enjoy, review. Thank you!**

Jenna's phone made connection with Abby's before she arrived at her car.

"Hello?" Abby answered.

"Abby." Jenna said. He sister deciphered the tone in her voice right away.

"Jenna? What's wrong?" She rose from her desk at the bank and moved to close her office door, to ward off people entering as well as drown out her conversation.

"I can't do this any more," Jenna said.

"Do what? What's happened?"

"He's not going to stop. He's never going to leave me alone."

"Who? Reynolds?" When the only response was the crying of her sister, she continued. "Jenna, you have to tell Horatio. You're right. Reynolds is not going to stop, and you can't stop him on your own. Horatio can help you. Go to him."

"No," she said. "I'm leaving. I'll call when I'm safe. I love you." She ended the call.

Abby was never going to agree with Jenna on this one and she needed to stay focused. Leaving was in everyone's best interest. She drove to Horatio's first to pack up what she had been keeping there. Moving as if on autopilot, she gather her belongings without wasting her energy noticing anything that may have caused her to thwart her plan. She did this well. It wasn't until the drive over to her place that her resolve broke.

Remember. That's what the crumpled card lying on the passenger seat said. After years of forgetting, all her mind could do now was remember. Jenna sped along Highway 441 and memories washed over her. The fear, the tears, the pain, the smell of him. Tears were now gone. Her eyes were dry.

The car had a mind of its own and Jenna found herself parked at the crime lab. The awareness of her location made her question her plans. A scan of her phone sitting in a cup holder showed her a call and a text had been missed from Horatio. She exited the car, shoved the the card and her phone in her pocket, and without sending a response, started walking towards the entrance.

She loved him. Perhaps moving was bad idea. Maybe the time had come for her to seek out his help. The logical part of her brain, which had carried her to his office, screamed at her that this was what she needed to do. She was tired of running away from this. She had been doing it for years, with far lesser men, and it had left her alone. She did not want to be alone anymore. So much love and fulfillment was found with Horatio and her sister was right. It was time for her to make a relationship work. Everything about Horatio showed that he was open and willing to walk through this next part of the journey with her. A noble man, he could be trusted to do the right thing, in any situation. She would likely lose her job, but she would have him. She said a prayer as she walked the last bit of the hallway, and turned into his office.

Mmmmmmmmmm

It took a bit of time for him to find her. After he and Jack searched his place and found that her things were all packed and she was gone, he had Jack ping her phone again. He conducted an internal debate as to whether or not this action was necessary. City resources should not be utilized for personal gain, but new information from Abby caused him to view Reynolds as a viable threat. He rationalized his actions and Jack traced Jenna to the crime lab. Perceiving his partner safe, Wilkes retreated to his station with Horatio's gratitude and promise of a follow up phone call.

She was sitting behind his desk with her eyes closed, but his presence altered the air in the room so they opened. He stood in the doorway and they both took in the sight of each other. Horatio, standing tall with his hands in his pockets, broke the silence first. "The flowers are from Reynolds?''

His awareness of the events from earlier in the day caused her to blink and she took the card from her pocket and tossed it to him. "That's my best guess," she said.

He uncrumpled it and read it aloud. Looking at her he said, "What is it that he wants you to remember?"

"That he has all the power. And I have none." Her voice was void of emotion. Emotion had tired her.

He shut the door to his office and took a couple of steps closer to her, but remained standing on his side of the desk. She seemed comfortable enough sitting behind it and he didn't want to crowd her. "It's time for the whole story now, Jenna."

Having come to that same conclusion, Jenna started right in with her saga. "I was partnered with Mark my rookie year. Soon after that, he began manipulating me." She had never told this story, the whole thing, from start to finish, though Abby heard most of it in dribbles over the year. It was daunting.

Her unease was impossible to miss. He pulled a chair around the desk and sat, leaning forward, as close as he could get without actually touching her. Of course, all he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and carry her out of there, but this conversation had to happen and Jenna didn't seem to want to be touched.

When it didn't appear that she was going to continue without encouragement, he asked, "Manipulate you how?"

Jenna wasn't ready for the closeness. She rose from her seat and moved to look out the oversized window of his office. After taking another moment to steady her nerves and her breathing, she continued speaking. "We would write up our incident reports at the end of each shift, and for at least half of them, he would write two. One of them would be an accurate account of what happened, and the other would have some little detail that was off, like the amount of money or drugs recovered. He threatened that at any time, if I wasn't doing exactly what he wanted, he would swap the real report with the fake one. Since he had seniority, and such a fantastic reputation, he would be able to skew things to make me look dirty." She lifted one of her crossed arms and a shaky hand swiped a piece of hair out of her face.

Horatio worked hard at staying seated when the desire to storm off and find Reynolds overwhelmed. But Jenna needed him. He reached behind his chair to the mini fridge and pulled out a water bottle. After twisting the cap off, he rose and moved to hand it to her. He stood behind her and waited while she take a few sips and calm her nerves. The worst was yet to come. When he felt she was settled he asked, "And what exactly did he want you to do?"

She couldn't say it. She knew she didn't need to, he could answer it for himself. When the words refused to form, she took another swig of the water. Turning to look up at him she panicked when she could not read his feelings. "It only got bad a few times," she said. "Mostly he just wanted me on edge. After a few weeks I managed to get transferred to another partner."

Hands on his hips and still in lieutenant mode, Horatio said, "So just so we're clear, you only performed sexually a few times."

She nodded, unable to meet his eyes.

"And you never reported this."

"I'm so sorry," she said.

Concerned that she had misread him, he moved his hands to her arms. "I don't blame you, Jenna. This was in no way your fault." She looked up at him and he repeated, "This is in no way your fault. You were young and inexperienced and he was in position of power over you. He took advantage of that in the most evil way possible."

She focused on controlling her emotions and appreciated his hands rubbing her arms. The action kept her grounded. "You really need to wrap up this South Beach case quickly so he can get the hell out of town."

"Every lead brings us to another dead end. But, sweetheart," he moved a hand up to her cheek, "this in my town. And he is not getting out of it."


	9. Chapter 9

Jenna pulled away from him and attempted to pull herself together as well. She walked to his desk where she had left her things and began gathering them. "Horatio, you cannot kill him," she said.

"Like hell I can't," he said.

Her anger was about to be unleashed on him. This was not the response she wanted, although she should have expected it. The knock on the door and appearance of Eric saved him. "H," he said, "Sorry to interrupt, but we have to go. There was another attack on South Beach. The victim's at the hospital."

"He left someone alive?" Horatio asked. Eric nodded. "He's getting sloppy."

"Good," Eric said. "I figured you'd want to come interview her. She's awake. Want me to have Reynolds meet us there."

The police officer in Horatio wanted to dart out the door, but the lover in him had other priorities. Ignoring Jenna's subtle groan in protest of Reynolds' presence, he said, "Yes. I'll be out of here in five minutes. Meet me there, please."

"You cannot confront him," she said after Eric left. All her vulnerability disappeared and her take-no-prisoners attitude returned.

"I agree. I have to work this case with him and finish it. And I also don't want him to catch on that I know and disappear. This needs to be dealt with." He moved close to her again and tried to be persuasive. "Jenna, we cannot let him get away with this."

Jenna stepped back from him. "That is not your decision to make." She turned toward the door. "I'm going back to work while I still have a job." She exited.

MMMMMMMMMM

Horatio drove more erratically than usual to the hospital. He was angry with himself for letting his conversation with Jenna end the way it had. She needed him to respond a certain way, and he wanted to respond accordingly, but his emotions were all over the map. He clenched the steering wheel, and his teeth, as he replayed the entire conversation in his head.

He found Eric waiting outside the victim's room when he arrived. Reynolds was nowhere in sight. "What have we got?" he asked. All worry about Jenna sat in the recesses of his mind. The case required his full attention.

"Cassandra Martin, age 25, school teacher on vacation from Milwaukee. She was out clubbing last night and had too much to drink. Got separated from her friends and wandered onto the beach. That's all we have so far."

Ok, where's Reynolds?"

"Texted him twice. No response. Want me to try again?"

"No. I don't want to wait. We can fill him in later." They entered Cassandra's room.

MMMMMMMMMMMM

Jenna rushed into her precinct. She attempted to look nonplussed, but failed. Wilkes glanced up from the mountain of paperwork covering both their desks and raised an eyebrow. Horatio sent him a text earlier saying that Jenna was fine, but it was nice to see this for himself. "You good now, Detective?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yes," she said falling into her chair and shoving her purse in a drawer. "Sorry."

"No need," he said and tossed her some files. "Here. Look busy. I had a tough time explaining your absence."

Right on cue, a bark came from the office behind her, "Quinn!" she jumped to her feet. "Get in here!" She would have liked to turn and get an encouraging look from Wilkes, but Sargent Bilson was not a man to keep waiting.

She entered his office and walked towards his desk. "Close the door," he ordered. She swallowed a groan. Nothing good ever came after that command.

Bilson leaned back in his chair and threw his hands behind his balding head. "Care to explain where you've been all day," he said.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I haven't been feeling well lately." She said. Her fingers tied themselves into knots behind her back.

"So when your partner told me that you were filing papers at City Hall, he was lying to me."

She wished she had compared stories with Jack before this conversation, but then, Bilson would have expected that. "No, sir, he wasn't. He didn't know I was sick."

He studied her. He knew she was holding back, but nothing in her words or demeanor betrayed her. "Are you well enough now?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you think you're capable of doing your job and keeping your partner informed of your whereabouts?"

"Yes, sir, of course."

He leaned forward and picked up his pen. She turned to exit, relieved to be finished with this conversation. "And stay at your desk for the rest of the day," he added.

"Yes, sir," and breathed out a sigh of relief as she exited. Normally, being benched for the day would have upset her, but she needed to be still. And judging by the pile of paper Jack had thrown on her desk, her mind would be occupied.

MMMMMMMMMM

The rest of Jenna's day proved uneventful, and for that she was grateful. She bid good-bye, and may thanks, to her partner and took off to her sister's house. Abby had been put through the wringer by her sister and Jenna needed to smooth things over with her.

Abby was torn between hugging and choking her Jenna when she showed up at her door at dinnertime. She opted for hugging, but the embrace was long and tight. "I worried all day about you," she said. "Do you really think I need this in my life right now?"

"I'm sorry, Abby. No. You don't deserve me. But I did send a text that I wasn't leaving," Jenna said.

"You did," Abby led Jenna into the kitchen where her kids were finishing their dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, and grabbed another dish. "But I was still worried. Poor Horatio must have been wild when he found you. What happened?"

The two sisters spent the night catching up on the events of the day, planning for the future, and once again swearing their allegiance to each other.

At around ten, as she was about to fall asleep on Abby's couch, Jenna received a text from Horatio.

 _Just got home. Wish you were here_

 _At Abby's_

 _Come over. Please_

 _Its been a long day. I dont want to talk._

 _I agree. We'll sleep_

 _Be there in 15_

 _I'll be waiting_

MMMMMMMMMM

Eyes wide and body frozen, Jenna woke from another nightmare. She lay tucked safely in Horatio's arms but the residual fear gripped her. She lost track of how much time it took before her breathing regulated and she was calm. Sleep would not come any time soon, as least not a restful sleep, and she would rather move about than lie awake in the dark. She took her time untangling from his arms so a not to wake him, and headed downstairs.

The teapot was on and she waited in the darkened kitchen for it to boil. She busied herself by straightening things in the well organized and clean room, and, it was while she was doing this that she noticed the papers on the table. He must have been working on it while he waited for her to return home, and abandoned it when she arrived. Uncharacteristic as it was that he left work items scattered about, she chalke dit up to the stress and chaos of the day. She flicked on the overhead light and sat at the table with her tea to study the notes.

The opportunity for her to review his case files never previously presented itself. They would talk about work and cases they had, sometimes extensively, but sitting in front of his notes in the middle of the night felt wrong. She didn't stop herself. This case had gone on long enough. Reynolds wouldn't leave until it was solved and a fresh pair of eyes couldn't hurt. So she snooped.

 **AN: I do not own CSI Miami characters. Please review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Short, but critical chapter here. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!**

"Horatio?" Her voice was meant to be a shout that would carry through the house and wake him, but it surprised Jenna to hear the softness of it Stanking, frozen, in the middle of the kitchen, she cleared her throat and tried again. "Horatio!" The thud from above allowed her to breathe. She regretted waking him in such a terrible manner, but her legs refused to move.

He raced down the stairs and skidded to a halt upon reaching the kitchen. His trained eyes scanned the scene trying to make sense of it. Jenna stood in the middle of the room wearing the satin sleep shirt she slipped on earlier. Her hair hung haphazardly over her shoulders, seemingly yanked from the ponytail that used to contain it. His gaze roamed to the table next to her. Papers from the file he brought home to study were scattered across it, a couple had fallen to the ground. Looking back at Jenna, he found her eyes, wide and wet, and they scared him.

"Jenna," he said and took a step towards her. She lifted her arm in front of herself and leaned back a bit so he stopped his advance. "Jenna," he said again, "what is it?"

"I've been standing here," she said, "trying not to run." She paused, thinking he would say something. She took his silence as permission to continue. "I need to get in my car. There's still a packed bag in there. I need to drive far away and never look back."

Horatio considered himself a patient man, but this was testing him.

"But I'd rather stay here with you. I love the life we've built in this short time and I want to stay." A tear raced down her cheek which she ignored. Their eyes broke contact as she reached for a paper on the table. The last paper she had read before her world tipped, and held it out to him.

Horatio stepped close and took the paper from her hand. He tried to look into her eyes again but she refused to meet his. He skimmed the page in front of him. It was the statement from the victim he and Eric had interviewed earlier at the hospital. He wanted to find a clue as to what this had to do with Jenna's current state, but failed. "I don't understand, Jenna. Why am I looking at this?"

"It's him," Jenna said. "The South Beach killer. It's Mark Reynolds."

"What?" Horatio asked. "What are you talking about?" He scoured the paper in his hand trying to find the connection he was missing.

"It's the same thing he did to me." She watched him drop the report on the table and give her his complete attention. "The night I came home from my sister's and I drank too much. And we fought? He had followed me. He pulled a gun on me. And told me to get out of the car and put my hands on the trunk." She paused her rushed speech to catch her breath. Horatio pulled a stool from the counter and guided her to it. She didn't know when she had started shaking. The weight of his hand on her shoulder provided enough strength for her to continue. "What it says in that girl's statement. That's exactly what he did to me," she said, referring to the manipulations of the gun along her body. "Then he said he wanted me to remember my place and he left. That was before this incident on the beach yesterday. He couldn't have known the killer was doing that. There were no other survivors." She stood with a newfound energy. "We have to go. We have to get to him before he hurts someone else."

"No," Horatio said. He placed his hands on her shoulders and urged her back down onto the stool. "We are staying right here." As much as he wanted to tear out of the house, find Reynolds, and wrap his hands around his neck, this needed to be handled delicately and by the book. And Jenna, this woman he loved, needed him by her side to be her rock. Satisfied that she would stay seated, he reached for her phone on the table. Noting the tim as four in the morning, he made the call. "Eric. It's Horatio. Mark Reynolds is the South Beach killer. I repeat. Mark Reynolds is the South Beach killer. Put an APB on him and call me when he's in custody." Disconnecting the call he turned back to his horror-stricken girlfriend. He wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead. He wanted to hold her forever.

"What do we do?" she asked, sounding as lost as she felt.

"Now? Now, sweetheart, we wait."


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: This is it - I finished! It's been a while since I finished a story and it feels good. I enjoyed writing this and so appreciate the reviewers who pushed me through. Thank you!**

Jenna woke on the couch a couple hours later with her head on Horatio's knee. The last thing she remembered was settling there after he spoke to Eric and telling herself that she was not going to sleep. It had been quite some time since she had pulled an all-nighter. Her body would no longer tolerate it. She knew Horatio was awake as his fingers rhythmically ran through her hair near her temple. The gesture comforted her, as did the suspicion that he had remained vigilant while she slept. It felt nice to have a protector and be able to lower her guard.

"Any news?" she asked after taking a shaky breath.

"No." His voice matched her low tone, as if neither of them wanted to break the silence. He shifted under her which she took as an expression of his discomfort, so she rose to a seated position. She leaned forward with her head in her hands, so overwhelmed with feelings of shame and embarrassment that she couldn't face him. He raised his hand, about to put it on her back to comfort her, about to offer encouraging words for the same purpose, when his phone buzzed on the side table. Giving the back of her head one last glance and pulling his touch away, he rose, grabbed the phone, and left the room to take the call. When he returned, mere moments later, he found her position had not changed.

"He's in custody. We need to get dressed and go. I told Eric we'd be there in thirty minutes."

Not looking up she said, "I have a job to go to."

"Not today. You need to give a statement. The DA will want to speak to you. Maybe Internal Affairs."

She lifted her head. "So that's it? Everything is over. My career? The respect of my friends and colleagues? Nothing will be the same once I tell all."

"Women's lives will be saved."

"Women's lives were lost. How many has he killed since I knew what a bastard he was?"

"You knew he was a bastard. You didn't know he was a serial killer. As soon as you figured that out, you stopped him, Jenna. You stopped him."

She stood and walked closer to him, intent on going upstairs to dress so she could face whatever was about to come. He blocked her from leaving the room by placing his hands on her arms. "Jenna," he said.

"Horatio," she looked up at him, "I don't even know who I am any more. I thought I was this tough, take-no-prisoners cop who never let anyone in. Never let anyone help her or, God forbid, save her because she always saved herself. But that was all a lie. I've been lying to everyone; you, myself. I'm weak. I'm a phony. I couldn't stand up to one man. I couldn't fight him and he destroyed so many lives, so many families because of it."

"You did stand up to him. And you did fight him. He never destroyed you and you brought him down. Now you are, by far, the toughest cop I know and you are going to go to the station with me and finish what you started so the Reynolds never sees the light of day again. And I will be right next to you every step of the way." He kissed her forehead, and her cheek, and her lips and she let him, trying to soak up all the strength he was giving her.

"OK," she said. "We'll go do this. I'll try to believe some of what you said to get me through."

"I'll be right there reminding you whenever you forget."

MMMMMMMMMM

The day started early and ended late with the in-between filled with questions and statements, signatures and evidence. And the media. The media? She should have anticipated that. They wasted no time and by noon the story went public. Mark Reynolds' name splashed over TVs and websites. Jenna Eldridge's name remained under wraps for the time being. Word spread that a female Miami-Dade detective cracked the case, and may have been a victim herself. Jenna appreciated the time the department gave her to process everything, but knew that all would be leaked before long.

Horatio ensured that all necessary proceedings for the day took place at the crime lab where he enjoyed a modicum of control. Wilkes and Sargent Bilson stopped by to provide support and offer themselves up for assistance. Jenna was overwhelmed by this, as well as the backing of Horatio's entire team.

Abby brought lunch by after receiving a text from her sister aboutl the developments. They found privacy on the roof to eat and escape before Jenna was summoned to answer more questions, or rather, the same questions posed in a different way.

She declined an offer to confront Reynolds who was housed in a cell in the building. That could wait for another day. Horatio, however, made his way to the killer when an opportunity first arose. To his credit, he only decked the man once, when Reynolds attempted to advise the lieutenant on how Jenna liked a bit of pressure applied to her neck when her sweet lips were wrapped around his cock. After that, Horatio found Jenna taking a break from the District Attorney's probing, pulled her into his office, and wrapped her in his arms for a long, long time.

When they walked through the doors of Horatio's house, the sun had set and the moon casted shadows. Jenna wanted to collapse.

"You should eat," Horatio said.

"I'm not hungry." She slipped off her shoes and rolled a shoulder. "Everything hurts." She looked around, her brain in a fog. Should she sit? She would never get up. Attempt the stairs? Too much effort. She turned her eyes to Horatio who was watching her and seemed to be reading her mind. He turned his palms towards her. She accepted the invitation and fell into his arms.

Jenna did it. She faced her demons and came clean about her past. She still had a career, her sister, the respect of her coworkers. She did not need to live in fear any more. But most of all, most importantly, she managed to hold on to her man. She did not feel overpowered by him, or as if she were standing in his shadow. She felt strong and brave with him by her side.

"What do you need?" he asked across the top of her head.

She tilted her head up to him, "Make love to me."

He didn't hesitate.

 **Thank you so much for reading. I hope you like it!**


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